Liu Shiwen is the women’s world number one in table tennis but will not be on the China team at the Olympics in Rio.

Liu, 25, paid the price for a shock defeat at the Asian qualifying tournament in April, when she was stunned by Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi-kem.

Olympic title-holder Li Xiaoxia will defend her women’s singles title, while world champion Ding Ning beat Liu to the second spot in China’s team.

The snub means that Liu will have to watch from afar as dominant China seek their third straight clean sweep at the Olympics in August.

“The defeat in the Asian regional qualifier was a pity for me,” she said, according to Xinhua news agency.

“Of course it’s not that by winning the (qualifying) title I would definitely be able to participate, but if I had played a bit better, the possibility of participating would have been even greater.” Read More